Stopping the rain
by Queen of Executions
Summary: Sometimes, loneliness leads us to being unable to distinguish real friends and imaginary friends. Juvia grew up with loneliness as her only company, and so it was a matter of time until she found―or imagined―a good friend to talk to. What she didn't expect was for someone to stop the rain from chasing her.


**Author's note:** Well, this is a part of a 30 days of writing challenge that I decided to start. I basically chose a word or two for each day to use as a prompt to write 30 one-shots, and this one would be the day 1. I'm publishing the challenge on my blog, but I decided I could share it here, too. The purpose of this challenge is to improve my writing and creativity, and although I may not keep up with writing every single day, I will for sure finish all the stories with their corresponding prompts.

**Prompt:** Imagination.

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**Stopping the Rain**

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A 7-year-old blue haired girl was alone in her room, smiling to herself while sewing her teru teru bozu doll to keep the rain away. With a light blush on her cheeks, she thought to herself that she wouldn't be alone anymore, the little doll would help her making friends by successfully make the rain stop, but she didn't know that she could be awfully wrong. She had been left alone by the other kids because of the ugly rain, that rain that made everyone get away from her, the rain that would keep her heart cold even though she was still nothing more than a child. She wanted it to stop. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

But alas, the doll wasn't enough to make the rain stop. The now 10-year-old Juvia stood behind a tree holding a pink umbrella in her hand and caressing her only friend, Bozu, with the other, watching as some kids played happily in the park. "It would be so nice to play with the other kids, don't you think, Bozu-san?" she asked the little doll, which didn't utter a word that wasn't product of Juvia's imagination. "Juvia thinks so, too" she spoke, seemingly talking to herself to outsiders, but they didn't know that she was talking to her imaginary friend. "Juvia wishes she could do something to stop the rain..." the blue-haired girl whispered, and as if on clue, a few droplets of water started falling from the sky, followed by a heavy rain that indicated it was time to go home. Sighing, Juvia looked down at Bozu, who was hanging from her shirt's collar, and started walking towards her home.

"Bozu-san?" a teenager Juvia spoke, "Do you think this is alright?" she asked, showing her friend the new outfit she had bought, a navy blue dress with a fur shawl covering her shoulders, "Do you think it makes Juvia look ugly?" the blue-haired girl continued, while turning to the mirror once again and putting a Russian Cossack hat over her head. "Bozu-san! That is not the correct way to talk to a lady" she complained, turning around and putting her hands at both sides of her hips, frowning at the lifeless doll. "Juvia thinks it looks cute. Juvia hopes she can make friends by being cute. It's time to go, Bozu-san! We'll take a walk on the park today. Doesn't it sound fun?"

She proceeded to take Bozu from its spot on her bed and attached it carefully to her fur shawl, right over her chest. It was a sunny day today, and she hoped the rain wouldn't ruin it. Stepping out of her house, she took a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath to enjoy the morning air. So peaceful, so refreshing, so lovely. How she wished she could have someone to enjoy the day. "It looks like it's only Bozu-san and Juvia today" she said, opening her eyes and staring ahead with saddened eyes, opening her umbrella to shield her from the sunlight. "Like any other day"

For 17 years she hadn't known any other company more than Bozu. The doll she had made with her own hands and the only one to keep her company. Even her parents had forgotten completely about her, only offering her economic support but not sincerely caring about her well-being. She was another mouth to feed, and nothing else. Rain seemed to chase her everywhere, and every person who would get close to her would leave because of it. She had never had a friend, someone to talk to, someone to find comfort in, someone to vent to. But the now almost grown woman had learnt to live with it by imagining what having a friend would feel like, and in Bozu, her loyal Bozu, she had found a friend.

Of course, as she grew up, Juvia realized that Bozu's voice was nothing more than a fragment of her imagination and her crazy mind, but she liked to pretend that she didn't know this. Sometimes, though, she would lock herself in her room and sit down in a corner, frowning at her only companion for not being real. "Juvia thinks it would be nice to have an ice-cream, don't you think, Bozu-san?" she asked as she kept on walking towards her destination. Although it saddened her, she liked to watch other people and daydream about her surrounded by friends. It sure must be a lovely feeling... something she wouldn't get the chance to experience.

When the blue-haired girl got to the park her feet were leading her to, she took a seat on a bench next to a large tree that casted a shadow upon it. She closed her umbrella and placed it next to her, watching as the people passed by, lovely couples, groups of friends, little families... they all seemed so happy. So content to have someone beside them. And there was Juvia... alone. As she was destined to be all her life. The lovely day didn't seem so lovely anymore, as her dark blue eyes stung with unshed tears, and the clouds started to gather around in the sky. Soon, everything she saw was people running looking for a roof to keep themselves dry and escape the rain that had started to pour.

Juvia didn't move from her spot. She closed her eyes and let the tears fall, glad that the water falling from the sky would hide her tears, and maybe, would drown her sorrow. She was so lost in her own thoughts and self-pity that she didn't notice a young silver-haired man approaching her and shielding her from the rain with his own umbrella. "You're going to catch a cold under the rain" he spoke, thus breaking Juvia out of her thoughts. She looked up to a face she hadn't seen before, and blushed for being caught off-guard. "J-Juvia is fine. Thank you" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man smiled, crouching down so he could look at her face, and took a handkerchief out of his pocket, offering it to her. "A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be crying" blushing, Juvia took the handkerchief he was offering and dried her tears as he introduced himself, "My name is Lyon. I assume your name is Juvia?"

"It is" she said, looking down at him, who was still under the rain. "Lyon-sama is going to catch a cold himself if he doesn't use his umbrella" she pointed, to which Lyon shrugged. "I like the cold. I never get sick" he gave her a smile and stood up, offering a hand for her to take. "Can I have the honor to spend some time with you, miss Juvia?"

Hesitantly, the blue-haired girl took his hand and gave him a shy smile, her cheeks blushing a light pink and her eyes glistening with joy―she only hoped this wasn't some kind of dream, or that he wouldn't run away from her when he realized that rain was Juvia's best friend. "Of course" she answered, as both of them started to walk without having a destination in mind, and without realizing that the rain had stopped.

It was a lovely day once again, and Juvia wouldn't have to worry for the rain anymore. She wouldn't need Bozu anymore. Her heart was content, and her umbrella forgotten in her room, as Lyon would light up her days from now on.

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**Final notes:** well, this took longer than it should have. I don't really like how the meeting came out, nor the ending, so you are free to criticize it and bash it because it is actually lame, but I had to write this down for the sake of the challenge. Thank you for reading!


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